December 8, 2008
Being a biochemistry major; much of the actual scientific material we discussed in ELT was at least familiar to me if not something I had already learned. Yet despite this I can honestly say that ELT has taught me much more about the actual doing of science than any science class I have yet taken. ELT gave me an understanding not of particular scientific facts and concepts but a much broader understanding of what science is and what it means to do science in everyday life. It taught me how science is not a particular area of study but an analytical way of thinking about the physical world in which we live.
ELT incorporates many different areas of scientific study and examines them in relationship with time. It is this connection that distinguishes ELT from all my other science classes. With this time based approach it becomes easy to see patterns over time, whether it be plate tectonics or the evolution of human language; recognizes these patterns in time allows us to understand what the future may hold.
Although geology has never peaked my interest or been a focus of any of my studies, ELT allowed me the chance to at least taste the workings of geology. In fact one of my favorite things about ELT was seeing concepts learned in class translated in real life during the field trips we went on. In particular my third semester field trip to western Maryland really allowed me to see in person what I had heard lectured about. After hearing lectures and seeing animations or cartoons about rock formations and how they can tell us about what was going on when they formed, it was amazing to see the exact same ideas I learned about right in front of my eyes.
Another specific time that I can remember feeling like I was really seeing science in a different light was with the in class small group project on environmental climate change that we participated in during our third semester. It gave me the chance to see how humans have changed the environment over time, while at the same time de-bunking the over-hyped rumors that humans are the sole and leading cause of climate change. The project did this in a very unique way, instead of just stating the facts; it forced us to examine the statistics of how the climate has changed over a large period of time. After reading and understanding these statistics it was obvious to see that although humans effect there environment in a real way the climate and environment is constantly changing and evolving with no connection to human activity.
The readings that were incorporated into ELT are another way that my scientific understanding of the world was shaped by what I learned in ELT. Especially in the acclaimed Guns Germs and Steel, that we read in the third semester of ELT. After reading this book I feel as though I can partially understand the importance of a time based approach on science. Diamond does just this in his book; he examines the evolution of modern man (Homo sapiens) over time, more specifically the last 13,000 years. Through this time based study on the evolution of human societies he emphatically refutes any notion of racial superiority based on genetics, morals or intellect. He shows that the dominance of Eurasia is due not to any inherent qualities of the people of this area but rather the conditions that existed around them.
Although none of my classes have ever gone as in depth with the relationship between the physical world and time there have been some that have hinted at the idea. One class in particular is my second semester genetics class. One concept that stands out in my mind is the idea that we can use our genome as a historical document. We learned that mutations can be used as a sort of biological clock allowing us to trace mutations back to where and when they arose. More importantly we learned how the genome when understood as a whole can be compared to other animal’s genomes which can allow us to see more precisely where and when humans diverged from the evolutionary tree of life. This time inclusive approach to genetics acted as a link between the ideas of how time is important in ELT and the deeper and more complex concepts in science taught in other scientific classes.
Another supporting class that connected with the concepts and ideas behind ELT was my first semester BSCI207 class. This class took an in depth view on the intricacies of evolution. This class deeply challenged me, forcing me o examine how life has evolved and adapted over a huge timescale of billions of years. One of the most interesting concepts we covered was convergent evolution, this idea is what connected this class to the idea that our understanding of life changes when we account for time. It is a very simple yet important idea to me that with the addition of time, life will converge in many cases to the same solution for different organisms and different problems.
ELT also introduced me to great friends and overall interesting people. If it was not for ELT and living in a dorm with people of similar educational interests I would not have the connections to the study groups and classmates that I have now. In fact, a large percentage of people that I study with and do work with were introduced to me if not directly than indirectly through the ELT program. This has been a great benefit to my education and class experience
ELT has been a part of my life over the past three semesters and has in part shaped my academic career and overall life during that time. Although I never took a major role in interacting with all the opportunities that ELT provided I do hope that I have engaged both the teachers and other students during my time in ELT and have impacted the program for the better.
ELT has also brought some interesting challenges to my personal beliefs and ideas. Being raised in the Christian faith and going to a Christian school the ideas presented not just by the teachers but also by other students has forced me to examine and research my beliefs as opposed to blindly accepting them. Although I cannot say that I have made a definite conclusion about my beliefs I can say that ELT is a major factor that I attribute to this deeper examination into what I believe.
I think that my experiences with ELT will definitely influence my future in ways that I am sure I do not fully understand now. But I think it is safe to say that the concepts of using a scientific approach to everything in the physical world will follow me for the rest of my life. ELT has taught me to not accept anything with blind faith but to use the tools of science to make informed decisions in every aspect of my life. Most importantly ELT will I am sure follow me for the rest of my life through the amazing people I have meet thanks the ELT scholars program.